Blanket finishes in both races at Bratton

12:16 24 May 2012

Pony racing 148s

Archant

Racegoers at Bratton Down were treated to blanket finishes in both pony races as the precursor to a brilliant day’s racing. The 138s set the stage with the area’s top 138, Bejowan’s Bouquet (Tina Smith) battling with Welsh raider Penway Tap Dance (Lorcan Williams), whose journey to the course had taken five hours from their base in Pembrokeshire, and Wessex area’s Ninfield Millionaires Delight (Harry Cobden), all the way to the line.

Talponciau Perfect Print (Michael Treneer) had set the early pace and was still in the van rounding the final corner. But Penway Tap Dance had been wiped off the boards at the bookies and always looked to just have the upper hand on the long home climb, although both Bejowans Bouquet, Ninfield Millionaires Delight, and Bronze Lawrance (Tyler Heard) gave it their all.

There was more excitement to come in the 148s. Miss Mopsy (Heidi Lewis) boosted by a midweek Wessex area novice final win at Cothelstone, took the lead early on, pressed by Vadlawalkover( Hannah Welch) unbeaten this season, Dandy Heights (Jake Bament) and Plym Steps (Barnaby Treneer).

The field stayed bunched up throughout, and on the rise to the line, Miss Mopsy still held the advantage but Vadlawalkover had it all to do in fourth place. He ran on well though, and Miss Mopsy hung to the right close home which just gave Welch chance to steal the win. Welch thought she had beaten Lewis but wasn’t sure if she had beaten Tarka (Tina Smith) and it was left to the judge to split the first four, with Dandy Heights pinching third spot, relegating Tarka to fourth.

Michael Treneer won the Classic Boots sponsored pair of bespoke racing boots for his ride on Talponciau Perfect Print

The next pony racing is at Axe Vale on Saturday (May 26)148s race first at noon.

As the saying goes, all good things come to an end, and so it proved last night at the Oak Tree Arena, as ‘Cases’ Somerset Rebels unbeaten home run came to an end with a shock defeat at the hands of local rivals the Plymouth Devils, writes Dave Thompson.